The Painted Thumb

Earlier this month, my brother and I attended the Texas Broadsides! mini-convention. What makes this event unique? Unlike other events that take place in a hotel or meeting space, this convention happens on board the battleship U.S.S. Texas! A little primer about the U.S.S. Texas (BB-35). It's a US Navy battleship that has seen service in the "Tampico Incident" and both World Wars. It is one of the oldest battleships remaining in the world. It was first launched on 18 May 1912. It was first installed with coal-fired boilers and was converted to oil-fired boilers sometime between the World Wars. It was also the first US battleship to have anti-aircraft guns installed. Rather than retell the ship's remarkably long service record, I'll just direct you to the Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35) for more details. Currently, the ship is moored at the San Jacinto State Historical site and is open to the public as a museum. Most of th...

My budget for buying new miniatures is small compared to other hobbyists. At least, that's how it seems to me. I've got friends who show no hesitation when a cool new game comes out. They'll purchase the starter set, including a second or third faction just so they can get a feel for the various armies/teams/warbands before deciding their favorite. Eventually, all the figures and terrain and manuals and whatever else ends up on the metaphoric 'lead pile'. God bless these early adopters! They help promote new games and maintain energy in the hobby. But, that's not me. My budget just doesn't allow for that kind of frivolity. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just being a tightwad. (BTW, I still don't have my own Flames of War army and have been borrowing armies all this time. Curses!) So, I've built up my collection by attending flea markets and by making some excellent trades. For example, a friend posted a request for some round, plastic 40mm bases f...

My wife and I recently took a trip to the wonderful city of New Orleans. If anyone is considering a vacation I highly recommend New Orleans. The city is dynamic and fun. There are plenty of great restaurants and bars. Plus, the history of the city is fascinating! My wife and I were treated to a great tour of the city by our aunt and uncle who lived nearby. It was a wonderful trip. The most exciting place we visited (well, for me anyway) was the National World War II museum. If you have any interest in historical miniatures, then this museum should be on your short list of places to see. Our visit to the museum started when we stepped into the wonderfully air conditioned main hall. The hall housed some impressive hardware. There were some restored vehicles parked in line just inside the doors. They included a Stuart tank, a Sherman tank, a Willys Jeep, a half-tracked vehicle, and several versions of the Higgins boats. Hanging from the ceiling were a restored P-51 Mustang, a C-47...